Tove Learning Trust Trustees

School Experience

Founding Member of Tove Learning Trust and Chair of Trustees.
Chair of Governors at Sponne since 2007.
Extensive experience of being a governor over 20 years at Sponne, having seen the school through foundation, trust and then academy status.
Previously Chair of Governors for 5 years at a primary school.
National Leader of Governance (NLG) providing external reviews of governance together with mentoring and coaching for chairs and governing bodies.
Supports in various school contexts on behalf of Local Authorities (LA).
Supporting & challenging governors.
Investigating officer for LA concerned with governance issues.
Member of AIB (Academy Improvement Board) Grace Academy Coventry, and Lord Grey Academy Bletchley.

Business Experience

15 years as director and shareholder of a privately owned corporate finance company. Role included business recovery and restructuring, HR, debt recovery and premises management.
5 years as a business recovery specialist.

Tove Learning Trust

CEO of the MAT leading 7 secondary schools across Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes and a regional hub in the West Midlands.
Previously CEO of Grace Academy Trust from 2014-2019, leading 3 secondary schools across the West Midlands. Grace Academy merged with Tove Learning Trust in April 2019.
Leads the strategic vision, growth and development of the trust; collaborating with other academies who share our aims and values.
Proven track record of school improvement: drives improved outcomes for pupils striving for good or outstanding ratings
Executive Headteacher at Sponne School, an outstanding academy.

Outcomes at Tove Learning Trust

Led a team of School Improvement Directors to facilitate improvements in teaching and learning in maths and science, with improved GCSE and A level exam results and P8 scores improving year on year.
Improved governance structures within academy schools, improving challenge and accountability.
Implemented core service support to increase financial stability and legal compliance.

Outcomes at Grace Academy

Improved teaching and learning standards significantly along with student outcomes; all 3 have made strong improvement.
MAT was performing poorly and it was at risk of closing in 2015 by the DfE.
Implemented an organisational restructure; appointed key leaders; remodelled the central team; effective structures put in place; financial responsibility and accountability established.
Student numbers have improved strongly and local reputation of academies have strengthened.
Supported challenging communities e.g. all have around 55% Pupil premium.
One Academy had the Secretary of State visit in September 2015 as it was the most improved in the Birmingham area.

NLE Experience

NLE work at leadership level, Maths & English support through NSS (National Support School) at Coventry. Impact was that leadership improved in 2013-14, Maths results significantly improved and English went up.
Worked with two other secondary schools in Northants long term – one for around a year with leadership and Maths support. All had positive impact with improvements in standards; both were through brokering arrangements with the LA.
Continuing school improvement work with a range of schools demonstrating improvement.
Consultancy work on Pupil Premium Reviews for schools within the region.

School Experience

Governor at Primary school level for 10 years.
Governor at Sponne since 2009. Previously Vice-Chair of Governors at Sponne from 2015 to 2017.
TLT representative at Elizabeth Woodville School governors meetings.
Member of TLT Pay and Performance Committee, including oversight of Headteacher Performance Management.
Headteacher recruitment and selection.
Safeguarding and safer recruitment experience.

Business Experience

Secondary School Experience

Primary School Experience

Primary School Governor for 8 years including Chair of Governors for 2 years.
Previously member of various Governing body sub-committees.
Working with Diocesan Board of Education with regard to church related priorities.
Recruitment and selection of Headteachers & Senior Leaders.

Business Experience

Duncan is a qualified lawyer with an extensive background in various legal firms.
Duncan has been a Managing Partner at Tollers Solicitors since 2011, and established the first Insolvency Business Unit in Tollers.
Duncan became Head of Tollers Commercial Services Practice in 2008, and was responsible for the performance and direction of all of the Tollers Commercial Business Units, with leadership of Corporate, Commercial, Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, Employment and Insolvency.
Recognised in ‘The Lawyer Hot 100’ list in the ‘Leaders’ section in 2015

Leadership and Voluntary Community Experience

Previously Governor of Tresham College (Higher Education) until 2017
Active runner and cyclist, taking part in marathons and cycled to Paris as charity fundraising challenges.

Professional Memberships

Business Experience

Thomas is a skilled senior international HR specialist who has worked in various industries and commercial sectors, both for corporate and SME’s. He is passionate about delivering high quality HR services through focusing on HR operations.
Specialist HR experience includes: HR Information Systems, HR Administration, Change Management, Outsourcing and Vendor Management, Talent Management, International Reward and Mobility.
Thomas is an international executive who speaks three languages. He has a proven track record as a competent project manager, delivering on agreed outputs. Thomas also speaks at conferences.

Leadership and Voluntary Community Experience

Leadership roles include Lieutenant in Army, and Senior HR roles.
Chair of Governors – Paulerspury Primary 2008 - 2013.
Charity fundraising – London Marathon (2006), 3 Peaks Challenge (2009), MKMarathon (2014).

Professional Memberships